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FC Dallas wins sixth straight Fourth of July game with 2-0 win vs. D.C. United at home

FC Dallas midfielder Santiago Mosquera (11), left, is mobbed by teammates Ryan Hollingshead (12), Brassan (4), right, and Brandon Servania (18), top after scoring during the first half of play against D.C. United. The two teams played their Major League Soccer game at Toyota Stadium in Frisco on July 4, 2019. (Steve Hamm/ Special Contributor)(Steve Hamm / Special Contributor)

FRISCO -- FC Dallas extended its Fourth of July winning streak to six games with a dominant 2-0 performance over D.C. United in front of a sellout crowd at Toyota Stadium on Thursday.

The fireworks started very early for FC Dallas. In the sixth minute, midfielder Brandon Servania lined up a shot from just outside the box that called D.C. United keeper Bill Hamid into action. Hamid parried the ball out to the side, where an eager Ryan Hollingshead crossed it back in. It found Santiago Mosquera, who directed it in for his first goal of the season.

Former England international and D.C. United midfielder Wayne Rooney was the subject of controversy in the 30th minute. After being dispossessed by winger Michael Barrios, Rooney lashed out, striking Barrios' knee in an attempt to stop the transition. Referee Nima Saghafi went to his back pocket and gave Rooney a red card. However, after taking a look with the video assistant, Saghafi nullified the red and instead issued a yellow.

Forward Dominque Badji continued his home scoring run with his third goal in the last three home matches. Mosquera found space for himself with his dynamic play and took a shot that forced a tough save from Hamid, but the rebound fell to Badji, who tapped it in to give Dallas a 2-0 advantage in the 65th minute.

FC Dallas bounced back after two uneven performances over the last week in which it dropped points against Vancouver and Portland. After getting a 2-0 lead, Dallas saw itself in familiar territory but were determined to learn from its mistakes.

"We learned," coach Luchi Gonzalez said. "We broke it down, we saw video, we showed accountability and a desire to be open and take feedback and commit to each other to do better the next time we're in that situation."

D.C. did receive a red card in the 73rd minute. Substitute Luciano Acosta was chasing Paxton Pomykal. After receiving a bump, Acosta fell on Pomykal with his studs hitting the 19-year-old's face.

"You never know with a man down," Gonzalez said. "Sometimes they get desperate, they push and the other team relaxes with eleven. I see teams with 10 play better. ... I thought it was a good showing considering we were a man up."

Dallas will play former coach Oscar Pareja in a friendly against Liga MX side Club Tijuana on Sunday.